


The Necessity of Relational Differentiation

by Rockinlibrarian



Series: The Loudermilk Chronicles [8]
Category: Legion (TV)
Genre: Gen, Growing Up, Jealousy, Siblings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-29
Updated: 2020-03-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:33:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23370247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rockinlibrarian/pseuds/Rockinlibrarian
Summary: In which Kerry is jealous that her brother has a new best friend, so Melanie initiates a fun game of talk therapy over pointy sticks.
Series: The Loudermilk Chronicles [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1469729
Comments: 1
Kudos: 3





	The Necessity of Relational Differentiation

**Author's Note:**

> I started trying to write about Cary and Oliver geeking out together, but it ended up being mostly about Kerry. I guess this is yet another aspect of their coming-of-age that really needed to be told. I'll write something else about Cary and Oliver some other time.

Kerry suspected the reason her brother and Oliver Bird had hit it off so well was less because they were two mutant freaks with dreams of mutant liberation and more because they’d finally found, in each other, someone they didn’t have to dumb down their vocabularies for. Possibly they even had an unspoken contest going, who could use the most complex words in each sentence. And because there was no objective way to keep score, they just kept one-upping each other indefinitely. 

Together, they turned ideas into realities before they even had a chance to be mere ideas. Cary was practical, excitable, and a scientist through and through. Oliver was spontaneous, suave, and a Renaissance Man (self-professed). Cary’s knowledge ran deep, but Oliver’s splashed all over the place: he had expertise in the sciences sure enough, but also in literature, mythology, history, philosophy, women (one of Oliver’s favorite topics, although it wasn’t particularly useful, considering Cary had never had much interest and Oliver himself had given up wooing any other woman but the one he had already thoroughly wooed), and, most especially, music. They complemented each other, forming some kind of complete two-part supergenius.

And if that put Kerry off a little, it was only to be expected. If anyone had already mastered the art of complete two-part superpersoning with Cary, it was her.

Oliver’s fiancee Melanie caught her sulking once and said, “What do you say we leave our men to their grand plans and take a Girl’s Day Out, just the two of us?”

“Is that one of those makeover party things?” Kerry asked warily.

Melanie shrugged. “It could be if you wanted it to be.” Kerry made a face. “So probably not. We could go out for coffee or tea…and you don’t like eating. Oh, well, what would you _like_ to do?”

“Hit things.”

“I should have guessed. How about we go to the archery range and…shoot pointy sticks at defenseless targets.”

“You’re patronizing me.”

“What makes you think _I_ don’t want to shoot pointy sticks at defenseless targets?”

Even as she rolled her eyes, Kerry went along with it. It was something to do. And the _thwack_ sound arrows made when they hit was sort of satisfying. 

She would have been content to _thwack_ arrow after arrow in otherwise silence, but she had a feeling Melanie would try to talk. To her credit, Melanie waited until they had taken their first shots before pausing, and saying in the fakest off-hand way, “So, I hear your brother—your other half, if you prefer—is going to be Best Man at our wedding this fall.”

“Yep.” Kerry kept her eyes on the target, even though it wasn’t moving.

“We’ve barely known you a year, but it feels like so much longer. Cary and Oliver have scarcely stopped talking since the night they met, trying to make this Summerland dream a reality. They spend a lot of time together, don’t they?” Melanie was eyeing her sideways, so Kerry grunted to show she was listening, although she wasn’t sure she liked where the conversation was going. “It’s meant a lot to Oliver to have someone who can so easily translate his dreams into practical goals. Cary really has become his best friend so quickly.” 

_Thwack_. That hit the target. “I’m Cary’s best friend.”

“I didn’t say you weren’t. But it’s interesting how quickly you reminded me, when I merely remarked that Cary seems to be _Oliver’s_ best friend.”

Kerry eyed her suspiciously. “Are you psychoanalyzing me?”

“No! No. Psychoanalysis is when we talk about your dreams and try to figure out what you’ve been repressing. I’m just conversing with you, as a friend. Using counseling techniques.”

Kerry rolled her eyes. Melanie tried again. “I’m just trying, as a friend, to help you through any jealousy you may be feeling over the time Cary spends with Oliver.”

“I’m not jealous, it’s just a fact. I’m Cary’s best friend. I’ve always been Cary’s best friend. Sometimes I’m his only friend.” She let go of the bowstring too soon and the shot flew wide.

“And do you think he _shouldn’t_ have any friends besides you?” Melanie nonchalantly lined up another shot.   
  
“No, I’m just the best.”

Melanie cocked her head to the side and looked directly at Kerry. “You have a unique place in his life, and no one can possibly fill that place but you. But you know that doesn’t mean you have to fill _every_ place in his life.”

Kerry frowned. “What does that mean?”

“Well, look at Oliver. I’m his lover, his confidant, his counselor. But Cary’s his partner in science, in creating things, in…all sorts of technical details I know nothing about. We each fill different roles in his life.”

“Oh, okay.” Kerry shrugged. “I’ve tried to find Cary a girlfriend, or a boyfriend, or somebody, before, so I get that. He just doesn’t want to.”

“It doesn’t have to be a romantic role. He does have _other_ emotional needs that, just maybe, you aren’t the best choice for fulfilling.”

Kerry scoffed. Melanie raised her eyebrows and continued, “So, when Cary gets an idea for a new invention, what does he do?”

Kerry shrugged again. “He rambles about it, and then he builds it, I don’t know, I don’t really pay much attention.”

“You don’t. And what does _Oliver_ do when Cary starts— rambling, as you say?”

“He listens and asks questions and starts suggesting things and then they both start trying to make it even better.”

“Uh-huh, and how does Cary feel about that?”

“He thinks it’s fun.” She couldn’t keep the incredulity out of her voice.

“Mmm.” 

“So, what, you’re saying I have to get all excited about his science projects because it makes him happy?”

“No, I’m saying you don’t. Because _Oliver_ does.” Melanie set her bow on the bench behind them, paused, then said, softly, “Kerry? Have you ever had a friend of your own? Someone you can talk martial arts with the way Oliver and Cary talk science?”

“You don’t _talk_ martial arts. You _do_ martial arts.” 

“My question stands.”

“I’ve had lots of sparring partners.”

“Were any of them _friends_?”

Kerry huffed. “No. Okay? Cary is my only friend. But he’s the only friend I’ve ever needed! I don’t care!” She sent an arrow vaguely in the direction of downrange, but with plenty of force.

“I’d like to think you consider me a friend as well.” Kerry nodded only somewhat reluctantly, so Melanie went on. “Oliver’s very fond of you, too. But at the same time I can see how you might feel a little out of place sometimes, when the four of us are together, and we’re all busy being grownups—”

“I’m tw—” Kerry barely had a chance to be indignant before Melanie held up a hand. 

“I know, you’ve been around just as long as Cary. But be honest, Kerry, do you actually _feel_ twenty-five?” 

That touched a nerve. A lot of fleeting thoughts she’d avoided putting into words over the past few years turned into overwhelming pressure right behind her eyes. She sat on the bench and tried to get some control over it before it leaked out. Mama used to think she was some delusion Cary unconsciously made up to deal with being a misfit freak whose Daddy didn’t want him, who the other kids picked on. Kerry was exactly who he needed then. But now he’d grown up, he’d found a place to belong…what if he…what if he didn’t need…

“Sometimes I wonder,” she whispered finally, “if he’s going to…leave me behind.”

Melanie sat beside her. “I seem to recall him once wondering the same thing about you.”

“Well that’s stupid. He’s the one who’s gotten all old and professional. I’m exactly who I’ve always been. Since when we were,” she kicked at a patch of grass in front of her, “ _both_ kids.”

“You are both your own people. You both will go your own ways in life, to an extent. But I can guarantee, neither of you has to worry about the other one _leaving you behind_. You both care too much.” Melanie chuckled. “Besides, I’m not sure it’s physically possible, but you would know that better than I would.” 

“Not for long at least,” Kerry admitted.

“Soon we’ll have Summerland up and running, and we’ll meet so many more people—special people, people who understand. Eventually some of them will be closer in… _apparent_ age to you, too. We’ll all have new friends! And you’ll be our head of security one day, don’t forget, so you’ll find plenty of ways to keep yourself occupied when Cary and Oliver get a little too talky.”

Kerry couldn’t help smiling. Something about Melanie’s teasing attitude to her own fiance gave her permission to step back, and look, and admit to herself how happy it made her just to see Cary so happy. 

“And not only will you always have Cary, you also have Oliver and me. The four of us are building a new life together. You’re not losing Cary, you’re gaining more family.” Melanie nodded resolutely, then continued in exaggerated cheerfulness, “In fact, since we’ve been spending so much time together sorting out this Summerland business, I’d say you’re currently my very best girlfriend, and I _am_ going to need a Maid of Honor in a few months here.”

“Really? Even though I’m just a kid.”

“Don’t be silly, you’re twenty-five.” Melanie’s eyes twinkled at her. “And you’re grown enough to wear a bridesmaid’s dress instead of a flower girl’s, so what more can I ask for?”

“Someone you can talk psychoanalysis with?”

Melanie tilted her head as if seriously considering it. “Nah, I’ve got all I need there, too.” 


End file.
